Chapter 23: Shadow_seeker of the dark hoard

A gasp escaped Kael's lips as his vision swam back into focus. He found himself lying in a field of tall grass, the sun beating down on his face. He blinked, his eyes adjusting to the bright light, and looked around in confusion.

He wasn't in the chapel anymore. The dilapidated stone walls, the faint red glow of the symbol, they were all gone. Instead, he was surrounded by rolling hills and swaying trees, the air filled with the chirping of birds and the buzzing of insects.

Panic surged through him. Where was he? How did he get here? Had it all been a dream, a bizarre hallucination?

He tried to sit up, but a wave of dizziness washed over him, forcing him back down. His head throbbed with a dull ache, and his body felt heavy and sluggish.

As he lay there, struggling to clear his head, a faint memory flickered in his mind. The voice, the blinding light, the feeling of power coursing through him. It was so vivid, so real, that he couldn't dismiss it as mere imagination.

He closed his eyes, concentrating on the memory, trying to piece together the fragmented events. He remembered the touch of the symbol, the strange voice welcoming him back, and then... nothing.

Kael's eyes shot open at the sound of approaching thunder. He sat up, his heart pounding against his ribs, and looked around frantically. His vision blurred with disorientation, but he quickly focused on the source of the sound.

There, just a few meters away, stood a figure cloaked in darkness. It hovered in the air, its form shifting and swirling like smoke on a windy day. A dark cloud loomed above it, rumbling with red lightning that crackled and popped like a thousand angry bees.

Kael's eyes widened in alarm as the figure hovered closer, its dark form casting long shadows on the ground. The rumbling of thunder overhead and the crackle of red lightning added to the unsettling atmosphere.

"Who are you?" Kael finally managed to ask, his voice feigning bravery.

"I am the Shadow. Seeker of the dark hoard" it boomed.

"Shadow. Seeker of the dark hoard" Kael said, mimicking the figure's introduction, "That's a cool name! Straight out of an anime book." He chuckled, holding his waist.

The figure remained silent, its dark form hovering ominously above the ground. The red lightning had ceased, but the air still crackled with an unseen energy.

Kael continued, "Do you perhaps know where this place is? You seem to be the only one around here, so maybe you can help me find my way out?"

A flicker of amusement sparked in the dark entity's eyes.

"Foolish boy" Shadow roared. "Do not mock me! This is not a mere anime book, and I am no fictional character." it rumbled, its voice still deep and menacing.

"Your naivety is both endearing and foolish."

A shiver ran down Kael's spine as Shadow spoke, its words dripping with darkness and malice.

"There is no escape for you, mortal" it hissed. "This realm is a prison, and death is the only release."

The air grew thick and heavy, the vibrant greens and blues of the landscape fading into an oppressive gray. The once welcoming hills now seemed to loom over Kael, their slopes transformed into jagged cliffs promising a fatal fall.

Sensing the shift in the situation, Kael switched to a more playful and confident tone. He grinned, his eyes sparkling with defiance.

"So Shadow" he said, stepping into a boxing stance, "What do you want? A fight?" He playfully jabbed the air, his movements mimicking a professional boxer. "Bring it on...lemme kick your arse a bit"

Shadow seemed caught off guard by Kael's sudden change of attitude. It had anticipated fear, desperation, anything but this playful defiance. The dark entity's form flickered slightly, as if unsure how to respond.

"You are naive, young one" it rumbled after a moment. "Your light is a mere flicker against my power. I can crush you like an insect."

Kael laughed, a warm, genuine sound that resonated through the air.

"We'll see about that, Shadow" he challenged. "Just because you hide in the darkness doesn't mean you're stronger than me."

"Come on then" he beckoned, his voice filled with playful taunting. "Show me what you've got."

The air crackled with dark energy as Shadow conjured a swirling portal. Thunder rumbled ominously, a prelude to the menace that was about to emerge. Through the swirling vortex of darkness, a figure began to take shape.

It was Jason, the same Jason who had bullied Kael at school. His eyes blazed with a fury that burned brighter than any fire, a dark transformation that mirrored the corruption seeping into his being.

As he stepped fully out of the portal, a chilling aura of power emanated from him, filled with a rage and hatred that threatened to consume him whole.

He glared at Kael, his voice a guttural growl that echoed with the power of the dark hoard.

"You..." he snarled, each syllable dripping with venom. "You will pay for what you have done."

Before Kael could utter a word, Jason blurred in a flash of dark energy, teleporting directly in front of him. His fist, now enhanced by the dark power coursing through him, smashed into Kael's face with a sickening crunch.